In Gurgaon, workers voice opposition over wages

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‘New labour codes not in our interest’: In Gurgaon, workers voice opposition

Workers argued that this increase fails to keep pace with soaring inflation in consumer goods and housing.

Amid protests by factory workers in Noida’s industrial belt demanding fair wages, representatives of the Municipal Corporation Employees Union in Gurgaon pointed out that the new wages announced by the Haryana government are inadequate.

On April 9, the state government notified a 35 per cent hike in minimum wages across categories — raising the monthly pay for unskilled workers from Rs 11,274 to Rs 15,220, and for skilled workers from Rs 13,704 to Rs 18,500. Workers, however, argued that this increase fails to keep pace with soaring inflation in consumer goods and housing.

Municipal union leader Vasant Kumar said, “How can one live on such wages in a city like Gurgaon? The new labour codes, LPG crisis and lack of proper work conditions are not in the interest of workers and we will continue our protests against them.”

As per protesting workers, allied municipal and state employees have announced a three-hour work boycott on April 16 to protest against the government’s handling of workers’ issues across the state since the Manesar protests.

Workers are also opposed to the new labour codes introduced by the Centre.

Explaining why, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) district president Suresh Nouhra said they allow for 12-hour shifts sans overtime compensation and restrict unions. “A member will not be able to express themselves properly and the benefit will only be for corporates. They should be abolished. Factories are trying to start 12-hour shifts but thanks to the protest in Panipat, they could not for now.”

On February 23, at the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd’s Panipat refinery, at least 30,000 contractual workers staged protests demanding better wages and working conditions.

Unions contend that the successful agitation in Panipat, located in Haryana’s crucial industrial corridor, has temporarily halted similar attempts across other manufacturing units in the state.

The municipal union members have been supporting a stir by fire department workers, who have been demanding regularisation and better pay while protesting against “untrained” drivers being deployed to man fire engines.

The sit-in protest in front of the Sector 29 fire station in Gurgaon entered its seventh day on Tuesday. Around 200-odd municipal union members had joined the protest around noon.

Sahun Khan, president of the Gurgaon Fire Department Union, claimed the government’s temporary measure of deploying untrained Haryana Roadways drivers and inexperienced youth to operate fire engines poses a severe public safety hazard.

“Roadways drivers and youths from training centres have no prior training in operating firefighting equipment,” said Joginder Karotha, State Secretary of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh Haryana. He warned that in the event of a major fire, the lack of trained personnel could lead to a substantial loss of life and property, for which the state government would be solely responsible.

Addressing the media at the protest site, union representatives reiterated their long-standing demands, which include: Free medical treatment for severely injured personnel, treating their recovery period as active duty, a monthly risk allowance of Rs 5,000 at par with police personnel, timely disbursement of medical, uniform, and washing allowances, and regularising their employment.

Fire Safety Officer Jai Narayan acknowledged the manpower shortage, but said they have drivers and firemen on duty as of now.

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